A Kingdom by the Sea
by Adventure-Seeking-Juliet
Summary: In a far away kingdom by the sea, an orphaned princess struggles to face the guilt of her parents' death, but unknown to Lady Elena, one of her most trusted advisers has hatched a plot of murder and treachery. Meanwhile, she is forced to choose a husband to reign by her side as king; however, things get complicated when she falls in love with the "wrong" brother. Delena-centric.


**A Kingdom by the Sea**

Written by: Adventure-Seeking-Juliet

A/N In a far away kingdom by the sea, an orphaned princess struggles to face the guilt of her parents' death, but unknown to Lady Elena, one of her most trusted advisers has hatched a plot of murder and treachery. Meanwhile, she is forced, by the rules of her kingdom, to choose a husband to reign by her side as king; however, things get complicated when she falls in love with the _"wrong_" brother. AU AH. The story focuses on Delena and Klaroline, with some allusions to other TVD pairings.

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_Prologue: Marianna's Story_

Her boys were safely tucked into their beds, bathed and clothed for the long darkness of night, but Marianna was reluctant to leave them. It was the longest night of the year, the night her husband and his lords feared more than any other, but Mari had always been brave.

It was a superstition held by the court that the longest night in a kingdom was a time marked by terrible fates and bloody endings, so the king, Mari's lord and husband, had decreed that all citizens were to remain safely indoors until the sun came up. Mari did not believe in her husband's whimsical superstitions.

With a steady hand, she lit the candle near her rocking chair and sat down with the intention to finish reading her favorite book, _The Politics to Shape a Free Kingdom. _She had read many books about political philosophy, but only her favorite spoke of freedoms and liberties for all people. Her husband would've burned the book if he'd caught her reading it, but Marianna was a resourceful woman, controlled by no one, not even her kingly husband.

Mari had only turned one page when a pitiful whimper came from the bed on her right. Without a second of hesitation, Mari placed her book down leaned over the bed, gently rubbing circles on her oldest son's back.

"Mother," the boy asked, quietly, "will you tell me a story?"

The eight year old sat up in bed, his blue eyes wide and glassy with unshed tears, and Mari couldn't help but give into his plea," What story would you like to hear this time, Damon?"

The boy smiled, "I like the one about the kingdom, the one with the beautiful Queen."

Mari chuckled, softly, so as not to wake up her other boy, "That's the same story you ask for every night. Wouldn't you like to hear another? Perhaps…the one about the pirates and the lost orphan or the tale of the three knights?"

Damon shook his head," No, mother. I like the one about the pretty Queen. She reminds me of you."

Marianna stroked her son's raven curls. He had inherited her dark, unruly hair, though she thought it much more becoming on him, "Oh, Damon, Queen Tatia was much more beautiful than I am. She was called the 'Swan Queen' because she was known for her beauty and elegance."

Damon rolled his eyes," Mottthher, please just tell the story? No one is as beautiful as you!"

"Oh, alright," Marianna said, smirking at Damon's impatience, another trait he'd inherited from her," Once upon a time, there was a kingdom by the sea.

"People from all over the world traveled to the kingdom, hoping to win the hand of the king's beautiful daughter, Tatia. You see, the king, though very kind and courageous, had fallen very ill. He knew his daughter was a smart and capable ruler, but his advisors doubted her ability, so they decreed that Tatia was to choose a royal suitor who would rule by her side. If she failed to make a reliable choice, the advisors planned to overthrow her and take the crown for themselves. It was the king's wish that Tatia choose a princely husband from one of their neighboring countries, so that the kingdoms could be united, but Tatia, being young and willful, wanted to be loved for her true self…and she feared that a prince would choose her merely to gain control of their kingdom."

"See, mommy," Damon said, "She's willful, just like you."

Marianna raised one delicately manicured eyebrow, "And who told you mommy was willful, hmm?"

Damon shrugged, blushing, "Daddy, maybe…or maybe someone else."

Marianna shook her head, a wry smile stretching across her face, "Well, the _willful _Tatia decided to host a ball, but to her displeasure, her father invited a pair of princely brothers from Mikkel, one of their neighboring provinces."

"Like me and Stefan?" Damon asked, his blue eyes wide and innocent.

"No, not at all," Mari clarified, "These two brothers had a terrible rivalry. They both wished to be king, but only the brother who could win Tatia could rule."

Damon made a face, "We would never fight over a _girl._ That's so stupid. I don't even _want _to be king, Mother."

Marianna smiled down at her oldest boy, "And that is why you must become king one day. The best rulers are the ones who don't want to rule. You will be a wonderful king, Damon, and Stefan can learn from you, so that one day, if he comes to rule, he can be the best king he can be."

"Mother, can't you just tell me the story?" Damon asked, wrinkling his nose at the suggestion of his kingly future.

"Of course, dear," Marianna replied, calmly, "During the ball, Tatia met both brothers, and to her surprise, came to care for both of them. The princes stayed at the palace long after the ball had ended, and as time passed, Tatia fell in love…with both brothers. They were very different, you see, but she loved them _for_ their differences."

Damon nodded. His mother had told him the story of the kingdom by the sea many times, but he liked to pretend he'd never heard it before. It made the story more fun to listen to.

"Sadly, the night came for her to choose a husband, and Tatia, unable to make up her mind, chose not to wed either brother. Instead, she ran away from her duty, from her kingdom, and her family." Marianna tucked a stray hair back into her lace hair net and sighed. She'd always hated the end of the story. It was too true to have a happy ending

"The princes, of course, went after her, but to the horror of their respective kingdoms, not one of the three missing royals every returned. Eventually, Tatia's father passed away, and because his only heir was gone, his home fell into the hands of his greedy advisors. Within decades, the kingdom by the sea had fallen, leaving behind nothing but a ruined shell."

Damon yawned and cuddled up closer to his mother, "Is there still a kingdom there, mother? By the sea?"

Marianna tucked thick blankets around her son as she considered her answer. Damon was still too young to understand everything she wished to impart to him.

"No, Damon. There are many kingdoms by the sea now, but they are small and weak, much like our own. Though our country does not meet the coast, our land was once a part of the giant kingdom.

Damon nodded, his eyes drooping dramatically, "What happened to Tatia and the princes?"

Marianna gently stroked his messy hair away from his face, "No one knows, dear one."

Damon made a face at his mother's endearment, "But what do you _think _happened to them?"

Before Marianna could reply, a loud thud echoed in the hall. She gave Damon a reassuring smile, "I'll go and see what the ruckus is all about. Go to sleep, angel."

Usually, Damon would have argued, but his eyes were heavy with sleep.

Marianna placed a light kiss on his brow, then on Stefan's, and without looking back, stepped into the hall, never to be seen again.

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A/N If you're interested, please review, so I'll know if this is worth continuing. I'll be posting the first real chapter as soon as possible.


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